4 ms·

True, but I think it has to do with the fact that Google is 90% of the supermarkets in town and most people don't know that there are other supermarkets at all.

curt15 10y ago
That sounds like mainly an education problem. Why can't that be fixed by a public awareness campaign informing people of other supermarkets.
- dazc 10y ago
  I'm not sure it's an awareness problem? Google works and there just isn't an incentive to go elsewhere.
  - fixermark 10y ago
    Except, apparently, the perception that Google manipulates search to its own ends. You'd think that would incentivize people to go elsewhere. So the alternatives are that it's an awareness problem, or (if it's not, as you're asserting) that people know and don't care, in which case forcing Google to change policy seems like it wouldn't actually be a move benefiting the people. Why restrict a business practice that most people don't actually think is bad? (So I think lack of awareness is more likely, personally).
    - tluyben2 10y ago
      My father used this (Google ranking search results to benefit themselves and tracking your searches etc) as argument to try other search engines. He uses Google again now as he the other search engines just don't produce results he was happy with. I think most people will have that experience in a blind test to be honest. But I don't know for sure; I tried others and do try others regularly and they start annoying me quite early on as the results are just not as good. Disclaimer: could be very personal ; Google tracks what i'm interested in AND my queries are tailored to Google I guess.
- fweespeech 10y ago
  > That sounds like mainly an education problem. Why can't that be fixed by a public awareness campaign informing people of other supermarkets. Someone would need to pay for it and its likely part of what they want money from Google for.
- tedunangst 10y ago
  Taxpayer funded advertising? I suspect that will be unpopular.
delecti 10y ago
Except most people say "Google" when they mean "search engine", and many aren't even using google. The default search engine in IE is still Bing, which is still a substantial percentage in the browser market, Firefox defaults to Yahoo, Siri uses Bing. Google isn't IE in 2000, it's Kleenex or Jello-o.
- gcp 10y ago
  Firefox defaults to Yahoo Only in the US. It's Google in most of the world.
- uola 10y ago
  Google is very dominant in Europe, 90% is not unrealistic for search.
- Sylos 10y ago
  And how is that relevant? What people refer to as "Google" doesn't change the fact that Google does have pretty much a monopoly in search.
  - blisterpeanuts 10y ago
    Monopoly = the exclusive possession or control of the supply or trade in a commodity or service. How exactly does Google possess or control the supply of searches? You are always free to use any of several other search engines: Bing, DuckDuckGo, Yahoo, Baidu, and quite a few others. Facebook and Apple are getting into the game as well.
    - blahi 10y ago
      That is not true or true only very strictly speaking. There is this thing called a "dominant position". There are formulas which are used to calculate if a company has a dominant position. If they do have, it is up to the court to decide whether they are abusing their dominant position.
      - 10y ago
dazc 10y ago
I don't think the supermarket analogy is a fair one since having to drive or catch a bus to the next town would be many degrees more difficult than just using another search engine. Even if it were not, finding the alternative supermarket is doing exactly the same thing, but not quite as well, may be disappointing?
- Sylos 10y ago
  It is in my opinion a fair analogy, because people don't know that Google is doing it. They won't even drive to the next search engine to begin with, and simply accept Google's highest search ranking as being really popular.
necessity 10y ago
So what if people like one supermarket? If they don't like the product placement they can move on to the next.

curt15 10y ago

That sounds like mainly an education problem. Why can't that be fixed by a public awareness campaign informing people of other supermarkets.

dazc 10y ago
I'm not sure it's an awareness problem? Google works and there just isn't an incentive to go elsewhere.
- fixermark 10y ago
  Except, apparently, the perception that Google manipulates search to its own ends. You'd think that would incentivize people to go elsewhere. So the alternatives are that it's an awareness problem, or (if it's not, as you're asserting) that people know and don't care, in which case forcing Google to change policy seems like it wouldn't actually be a move benefiting the people. Why restrict a business practice that most people don't actually think is bad? (So I think lack of awareness is more likely, personally).
  - tluyben2 10y ago
    My father used this (Google ranking search results to benefit themselves and tracking your searches etc) as argument to try other search engines. He uses Google again now as he the other search engines just don't produce results he was happy with. I think most people will have that experience in a blind test to be honest. But I don't know for sure; I tried others and do try others regularly and they start annoying me quite early on as the results are just not as good. Disclaimer: could be very personal ; Google tracks what i'm interested in AND my queries are tailored to Google I guess.
fweespeech 10y ago
> That sounds like mainly an education problem. Why can't that be fixed by a public awareness campaign informing people of other supermarkets. Someone would need to pay for it and its likely part of what they want money from Google for.
tedunangst 10y ago
Taxpayer funded advertising? I suspect that will be unpopular.

delecti 10y ago

Except most people say "Google" when they mean "search engine", and many aren't even using google. The default search engine in IE is still Bing, which is still a substantial percentage in the browser market, Firefox defaults to Yahoo, Siri uses Bing. Google isn't IE in 2000, it's Kleenex or Jello-o.

gcp 10y ago
Firefox defaults to Yahoo Only in the US. It's Google in most of the world.
uola 10y ago
Google is very dominant in Europe, 90% is not unrealistic for search.
Sylos 10y ago
And how is that relevant? What people refer to as "Google" doesn't change the fact that Google does have pretty much a monopoly in search.
- blisterpeanuts 10y ago
  Monopoly = the exclusive possession or control of the supply or trade in a commodity or service. How exactly does Google possess or control the supply of searches? You are always free to use any of several other search engines: Bing, DuckDuckGo, Yahoo, Baidu, and quite a few others. Facebook and Apple are getting into the game as well.
  - blahi 10y ago
    That is not true or true only very strictly speaking. There is this thing called a "dominant position". There are formulas which are used to calculate if a company has a dominant position. If they do have, it is up to the court to decide whether they are abusing their dominant position.
    - 10y ago

dazc 10y ago

I don't think the supermarket analogy is a fair one since having to drive or catch a bus to the next town would be many degrees more difficult than just using another search engine. Even if it were not, finding the alternative supermarket is doing exactly the same thing, but not quite as well, may be disappointing?

Sylos 10y ago
It is in my opinion a fair analogy, because people don't know that Google is doing it. They won't even drive to the next search engine to begin with, and simply accept Google's highest search ranking as being really popular.

necessity 10y ago

So what if people like one supermarket? If they don't like the product placement they can move on to the next.